Contributors

Would you like to become a regular contributor?  Email ilcorn@ilcorn.org to get the ball rolling!

Lindsay Mitchell is the Project Coordinator for the Illinois Corn Growers Association/Illinois Corn Marketing Board.  As such, she handles a wide variety of issues, but spends a majority of her time on communications and governmental affairs projects.  Prior to joining Illinois Corn, Lindsay spent five years at the Illinois Farm Bureau.

Lindsay is a University of Illinois graduate and currently resides in Bloomington with her two children.

Becky Finfrock is the Communications Assistant for the Illinois Corn Growers/Illinois Corn Marketing Board.  As such, she is involved in communications, event planning and website design and maintenance.

Becky grew up on a farm raising beef cattle, corn, soybeans and alfalfa.  She received her Bachelor’s of Science degree from Illinois State University in Agribusiness.  She currently resides in rural Wapella with her husband and daughter.

Phil Thornton was hired as the Value Enhanced Project Director for the Illinois Corn Growers/Illinois Corn Marketing Board in October of 2004. 

Phil’s primary responsibilities are to work with corn producers and end users to identify market opportunities for corn with specific traits.  He assists in facilitating business, financial and marketing plans as well as identifying funding options and research needs to facilitate new or expanding markets for corn.

Phil has a Bachelors of Science in Agricultural Business and Business Administration from the University of Nebraska at Kearney.

Dave Loos began working for the Illinois Corn Growers Association/Illinois Corn Marketing Board in September of 2007 as the Technology and Business Development Director.

Dave is responsible for collecting and analyzing technical, economic, regulatory, political and social information relevant to market development projects of both boards.  He also manages the ICMB research program and serves as the technology expert to both ICGA and ICMB.

Dave received his MBA from the University of Illinois in 1974 and resides in Loami with his wife Lori and two children, Dan and Alison.

Kelsey Vance interned for the Illinois Corn Growers Association/Illinois Corn Marketing Board as the communications intern during the summer of 2010.  She assisted in producing videos to help educate the public about the importance of agriculture, maintained a facebook page, assisted with the Little Farmers Exhibit at the Illinois State Fair, and worked with the Normal Cornbelters Baseball Team. Kelsey also worked as a social media intern during the fall semester of 2010. During that time she interviewed farmers throughout the state of Illinois and blogged about their everyday lives on “Who’s Your Farmer”. Her goal was to strengthen the relationship between the consumers and producers.

Kelsey grew up on her family’s farm in Tazewell County and is an Illinois State University student double majoring in Agribusiness and Agronomy Management. She loves spending time on the farm and hanging out with her family and friends.